86-629: (Redirected from Geneva Accords ) Geneva Accord may refer to: Geneva Statement on Ukraine, an agreement to de-escalate the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine Geneva interim agreement on Iranian nuclear program , an interim agreement on Iranian nuclear program between the P5+1 and Iran Geneva Initiative (2003) , a peace plan in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict also referred to as
172-636: A "People's Mandate" at noon on 7 April, and dismiss all elected council members and MPs. The people who voted within the RSA were not elected to the positions they assumed. According to the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia , the declaration was voted on by some regional legislators, however other reports say that neither the Donetsk city administration nor local district councils in city neighbourhoods delegated any representatives to
258-562: A former member of the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine , who was also under arrest on charges of separatism. In response to these actions, acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov vowed to launch a major counter-terrorism operation against separatist movements in the country's eastern regions. Later that day, the SBU office in Donetsk was retaken by SBU Alpha Group. The Ukrainian special forces unit led by
344-450: A police bus that became surrounded by anti-Maidan attackers". The windows of the bus "were smashed, and irritant gas was dispersed inside, forcing the group to exit the bus, where they were then subjected to beatings and verbal abuse". A pro-Ukrainian protester was stabbed to death during the violence. A report by the OSCE said that "police forces" failed "to take adequate measure to protect
430-584: A protest movement dubbed Euromaidan soon developed into the largest democratic mass movement in Europe since 1989, culminating in the Revolution of Dignity , which removed Yanukovych from power following a majority vote in the Verkhovna Rada and led to the dismissal of his government . Some people in largely Russophone Donbas , the traditional base of support for Yanukovych and his Party of
516-428: A unified Ukraine, while 18.2% supported joining Russia, and 4.7% supported independence. A second poll conducted from 26 to 29 March showed that 77% of residents condemned the takeover of administrative buildings, while 16% supported such actions. Furthermore, 40.8% of Donetsk citizens supported rallies for Ukraine's unity, while 26.5% supported pro-Russian rallies. In another research poll conducted 8–16 April by KIIS,
602-441: A union between Russia and Ukraine was found to be much higher in certain oblasts: Another Kyiv International Institute of Sociology poll the following April, of all of the oblasts of southern and eastern Ukraine except Crimea (which had already been annexed by Russia by that point) found majority opposition to secession from Ukraine and annexation by Russia in all of these oblasts—albeit only a slight majority in opposition to this in
688-552: A vast majority disapproved of the seizure of administrative buildings by protesters. Over 50% of those polled in southern and eastern Ukraine considered acting President Oleksandr Turchynov to be illegitimate. Most of those polled in southern and eastern Ukraine believed that the disarmament and disbandment of illegal radical groups is crucial to preserving national unity. 19.1% of those polled in southern and eastern Ukraine believed that Ukraine should be an independent state, 45.2% were for an independent state but with decentralization of
774-469: Is Ukraine's most populous province, with around 4.1 million residents. Its administrative centre is Donetsk , though due to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War , the regional administration was moved to Kramatorsk . Historically, the region has been an important part of the Donbas region. From its creation in 1938 until November 1961, it bore the name Stalino Oblast , in honour of Joseph Stalin . As part of
860-452: Is also rich in fertile black earth. Important resources for recreation within the area are: the mild climate, the Sea of Azov coast, curative mud, sources of minerals, and radon and table water. Due to these numerous recreation resources, many resort hotels and camps are located here. There are about 26 health centres and pensions, 52 rest homes and boarding houses, and rest camps for children in
946-825: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine#Geneva Statement on Ukraine Post-Minsk II conflict Attacks on civilians Related From the end of February 2014, in the aftermath of the Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity , which resulted in the ousting of Russian-leaning Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych , demonstrations by Russian-backed, pro-Russian, and anti-government groups (as well as pro-government demonstrations) took place in Crimea , Donetsk , Luhansk , Kharkiv and Odesa . The unrest, which
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#17327660372951032-750: The 1991 referendum , 83.90% of votes in Donetsk Oblast were in favour of the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine , fourth lowest in the country after Crimea, Sevastopol and Luhansk Oblast. A survey conducted in December 2014 by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found 18.5% of the oblast's population supported their region joining Russia, 53.8% did not support the idea, 22.5% were undecided, and 5.2% did not respond; insurgent-controlled areas (which hold over 50% of
1118-463: The 1991 referendum . In the mid-1990s, the region became known for its heightened criminal activity, including the killings of high-profile business people such as Akhat Bragin and Yevhen Shcherban . Donetsk Oblast was also a base for Ukraine's main pro-Russian political faction, Party of Regions , which became part of the Ukrainian government in 2002 and paved a way into Ukrainian politics for
1204-561: The Arab Spring of 2010–2011. Following the removal of Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych on 22 February 2014, various protests and counter-protests were held in Crimea , including by anti-Maidan Russian nationalists who sought the peninsula's annexation by Russia and by Crimean Tatars who supported Ukrainian unity. Beginning on 26 February, unidentified militants , subsequently confirmed to be Russian troops by Vladimir Putin , began to gradually take control of
1290-539: The Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts). Opposition to secession from Ukraine and annexation by Russia (the combined percentage for the people opting for the options of "Rather, no" and "Certainly, no, I don't") had these percentages in various southern and eastern Ukrainian oblasts: In an opinion poll conducted from 14 to 26 March by the International Republican Institute , 26–27% of those polled in southern and eastern Ukraine viewed
1376-706: The Donetsk People's Republic were distributed on 26 April, notifying citizens of a referendum on the question of whether or not they supported the proclamation of "state sovereignty" by the Republic to be held on 11 May. In the morning on the next day, two members of the OSCE special monitoring mission were held by a group of unarmed men from the Donbas People's Militia in Yenakiieve . They were taken to
1462-511: The Donetsk People's Republic , leading to a war against government forces ; the de facto administrative center was subsequently moved to Mariupol and then Kramatorsk . During the Russian invasion of Ukraine , the oblast again became the site of heavy fighting , and Russia later declared the annexation of the entirety of the oblast as well as three other regions, though the annexation remains internationally unrecognized. About three-fifths of
1548-683: The Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast and the Chernivtsi Oblast . The number of refugees, primarily Crimean Tatars, continued to rise, and by 20 May the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that about 10,000 people had been displaced. Pro-Russian protesters occupied the Donetsk regional state administration (RSA) building from 1 to 6 March, before being removed by
1634-567: The Russian Federation ", would take place "no later than 11 May 2014." Additionally, the group's leaders have appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Russian peacekeeping forces to the region. The group has been banned in Ukraine since 2007. The group's leader, Andrei Purgin, had been arrested weeks prior on charges of separatism. The political leader of the state was the self-declared People's Governor Pavel Gubarev ,
1720-469: The Security Service of Ukraine . 13 March was marked by violent clashes between pro-Maidan and anti-Maidan protesters in Donetsk. A large group of anti-Maidan protesters broke through a police cordon and began to attack a smaller pro-Maidan demonstration. In interviews with OSCE monitors, bystanders described how a group of around thirty pro-Maidan protesters "were forced to seek shelter in
1806-491: The de-Stalinization process, it was renamed after the Donets river, the main artery of Eastern Ukraine . Its population is estimated at 4,100,280 (2021 est.). The oblast is known for its urban sprawl of Donetsk – Makiivka and Horlivka – Yenakiieve and it is often associated with the coal mining industry. In 2014, parts of the oblast, including Donetsk, came under the control of Russian-backed separatists who declared
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#17327660372951892-632: The war in Donbas . In May 2014, the Ukrainian government lost control over its border with Russia in Donetsk Oblast. On 30 September 2022 Russia, amid its invasion of Ukraine , annexed Donetsk ( Donetsk People's Republic ), Luhansk ( Luhansk People's Republic ), Zaporizhzhia , and Kherson Oblasts. The United Nations General Assembly subsequently passed a resolution calling on countries not to recognise what it described as an "attempted illegal annexation", demanded that Russia "immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw", while most nations of
1978-559: The Crimean Parliament declared independence from Ukraine and asked to join the Russian Federation. On 18 March, Russia and Crimea signed a treaty of accession of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol into the Russian Federation . On 21 March, the accession treaty was ratified and the establishment of two new constituent entities in the Russian Federation was marked by a 30 gun salute under an executive order of
2064-574: The Crimean Peninsula . During this time, the question of joining the Russian Federation was put to a referendum , which had an official turnout of 83 per cent and resulted in a 96% affirmative vote but has been condemned by European Union, American, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar officials and by the United Nations General Assembly as a violation of the Ukrainian constitution and international law. On 17 March,
2150-682: The EU. 90% of those polled in western Ukraine wanted to enter an economic union with EU, while only 4% favoured the customs union led by Russia. Among all the Ukrainians polled overall, 34% favoured joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization , while 44% were against joining it. In eastern Ukraine and southern Ukraine, only 14% and 11% of the respondents respectively favour joining NATO, while 67% and 52% oppose joining it. 72% of people polled in eastern Ukraine thought that
2236-573: The Euromaidan protests as a coup d'état. Only 5% of respondents in eastern Ukraine felt that Russian-speakers were 'definitely' under pressure or threat. 13% of respondents in southern Ukraine and 22% in eastern Ukraine viewed Russia's actions in Crimea as protecting Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine, with 37% and 30% viewing them as invasion and occupation. In the poll, 22% of those in southern Ukraine, and 26% of those in eastern Ukraine, supported
2322-566: The First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaliy Yarema , journalist Serhiy Leshchenko, and a report released by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe . Russian and Ukrainian sources differed greatly in the way they portrayed the pro-Russian demonstrators. Militants who took over government buildings in the Donetsk Oblast were consistently labeled as "separatists" and "terrorists" by
2408-612: The Geneva Accord Geneva Accord (1991) , a peace plan in the Croatian War of Independence Geneva Accords (1988) , a settlement that concerned Afghanistan Geneva Accords (1954) , a plan concerning Indochina and Vietnam German-Polish Accord on East Silesia (Geneva Accord 1922), a bilateral treaty between Germany and Poland on the division of Silesia See also [ edit ] Geneva Conventions Geneva Conference Topics referred to by
2494-753: The Mariupol Port, the Donetsk International Airport , passenger airports in Mariupol and Kramatorsk , and dense road systems. In Donetsk Oblast two special economic zones have been created, Donetsk and Azov , which have a privileged tax regime. In 1999, the gross grain yield in the oblast was about 999.1 thousand tons, sugar beets – 27.1 thousand tons, sunflower seeds – 309.4 thousand tons, and potatoes – 380.2 thousand tons. Also, 134.2 thousand tons of meat, 494.3 thousand tons of milk and 646.4 million eggs have been produced. At
2580-416: The RSA. Another group of thirty people outside the RSA chanted the slogan "Akhmetov is an enemy of the people" while holding banners that said "Akhmetov is a thief and is a supporter of fascism" and "Are you a slave to Akhmetov?" Donetsk Oblast Donetsk Oblast , also referred to as Donechchyna ( Ukrainian : Донеччина , IPA: [doˈnɛtʃːɪnɐ] ), is an oblast in eastern Ukraine . It
2666-506: The Regions , did not approve of the revolution, expressing their support for Russia instead. Historian William Jay Risch notes the spread of rumors aimed against new Ukrainian government spread on TV and social media by local elites and Russian state media in Donbas. Russia actively supported the separatism in Ukraine, including using its high-level actors, such as Kremlin advisers Vladislav Surkov and Sergey Glazyev , who organized some of
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2752-773: The Republic Denis Pushilin said that "all Ukrainian military troops in the region would be considered occupying forces". In response to the perceived weakness of the Ukrainian army, some Ukrainians who opposed the insurgents formed the " Donbas Volunteer Battalion ", modeled on the Ukrainian partisan groups that fought against both the German Reich and the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Steelworkers and security guards from Metinvest , along with local police, began joint patrols in
2838-536: The Russian President. The U.N. General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution by 100 to 11 votes declaring that the referendum was invalid and that the incorporation of Crimea into Russia was illegal. Around 3,000 people had fled Crimea by April 1, and 80% of them were Crimean Tatars. Teams from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) assisted internally displaced persons who have resettled from Crimea in western Ukraine in
2924-592: The Russian security services, took advantage of the situation and occupied government buildings in Donetsk , Luhansk , and Kharkiv oblasts in early March 2014. The Ukrainian government was able to quickly quell this unrest, and removed the separatists by 10 March. Eventually, Kharkiv, Odesa, and most parts of Donbas including Mariupol remained under Ukrainian government control. Russia-controlled DPR and LPR were formed and took control of Donetsk and Luhansk. In
3010-480: The SBU building, smashing windows and ransacking files as an act of revenge for the clashes in Odesa. Kramatorsk was reoccupied by militants on 4 May, and Sloviansk saw renewed fighting on 5 May, resulting in the deaths of four Ukrainian soldiers. Fierce fighting took place in Mariupol starting 5 May. Posters plastered on the occupied city administration building read "OSCE get out" or "OSCE you cheat". As part of
3096-565: The Ukrainian government and the western media, whilst Russian media and officials referred to the protesters as "supporters of federalization". Russian media and the militants themselves referred to the Ukrainian transitional government in Kyiv as the "Bandera junta " (in reference to the Ukrainian nationalist Stepan Bandera ) and also as " nationalist " and as " fascist ". Russian news broadcasts also featured claims of foreign involvement on
3182-417: The Ukrainian special forces to retake the building. Seizures of police stations and other government buildings by armed separatist groups also occurred in other cities in Donetsk Oblast, including Donetsk City proper, Kramatorsk , Druzhkivka , Horlivka , Mariupol and Yenakiieve . Ukrainian transitional president Oleksandr Turchynov launched a full-scale 'anti-terror' military operation to reclaim
3268-522: The Ukrainian vice prime minister for law enforcement, Vitaliy Yarema , that was supposed to restore control over the Donetsk RSA building, however, refused to storm it and remove the separatists. Turchynov offered amnesty to the separatists if they laid down their arms and surrendered, and also offered concessions that included devolution of power to regions, and the protection of the Russian language in law. Many in Donetsk expressed disapproval toward
3354-645: The action taken in Geneva. A truce declared for Easter Sunday was broken by an attack upon a separatist checkpoint in Sloviansk, further inflaming tensions. The situation remained tense on 23 April, with occupation of government buildings ongoing throughout the region. OSCE monitors observed that the city administration building, SBU building, and police station in Sloviansk remained heavily fortified by armed groups of men with masks and automatic weapons. The city remained quiet, with no protests occurring. However,
3440-470: The actions of the separatists. On 12 April, a group of masked militants, formed in Crimea and led by former officer of Russian security services Igor Girkin , captured the executive committee building, the police department and SBU office in Sloviansk , a city in the northern part of the Donetsk Oblast. Ukrainian Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov labelled the gunmen "terrorists", and swore to use
3526-637: The arrest and imprisonment of two popular pro-European leaders and including a tightening of personal freedoms), the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) agreed in early 2013 to work towards fulfilling the requirements for joining the European Union , including legislative reform, protecting human rights, and releasing political prisoners. In response, Russia started pressuring Ukraine in August 2013 by applying customs regulations on imports from
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3612-517: The beginning of 1999 there were 2108 farms within the oblast. Donetsk Oblast's climate is mostly continental, which is characterised by hot summers and relatively cold winters with changeable snow surfaces. East and southeast strong winds, high temperatures and heavy rain showers are typical in the summer. The average annual rainfall is 524 mm. The basic minerals found here are: coal (reserves – 25 billion tons), rock salt , lime carbonate, potassium , mercury , asbestos , and graphite . The area
3698-615: The buildings. Vitaly Yarema said that Russian Special Forces units, including the 45th Parachute Guards Regiment usually stationed near Moscow, were operating on Ukrainian territory in the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. On 16 April, the number of Russian special forces troops was said to be 450. By 16 April, the 'anti-terror' operation being conducted by the Ukrainian government in Donetsk Oblast had hit some stumbling blocks. Protesters seized Ukrainian armoured vehicles in Kramatorsk, and sent soldiers away in Sloviansk. During
3784-493: The city centre, and also cleaning up the burnt city administration building. By the morning of 16 May, Associated Press journalists could find no trace of the insurgents in Mariupol city centre. On 16 May, however, it seemed that separatists were not banished from the city, as reporters from The Washington Post said that about a hundred pro-Russian activists gathered on the steps of the city administration building, and that
3870-540: The city of Sviatohirsk with the Sviatohirsk Lavra was nominated for the Seven Wonders of Ukraine . Since 2020, Donetsk Oblast has been divided into eight raions (districts), each named after its administrative center: Each raion is in turn divided up into hromadas . In 2013, the population of Donetsk Oblast was 4.43 million, which constituted 10% of the overall Ukrainian population, making it
3956-632: The city of Mariupol on 15 May. These groups forced the insurgents out of the buildings that they had been occupying. A representative of Mariupol supporters of the Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Kuzmenko, was party to a deal which led to this vacation of buildings by the insurgents, but a local commander of those insurgents who had been occupying the building said that "someone is trying to sow discord among us, someone has signed something, but we will continue our fight", and that "everyone ran away". Steelworkers could be seen removing barricades from
4042-740: The city of Stalino (today Donetsk ) took on the role. Until 1938, the Donetsian Oblast included the territories of the modern Donetsk Oblast and the Luhansk Oblast . In June 1938 it was split into the Stalino Oblast (modern Donetsk Oblast) and the Voroshylovhrad Oblast (modern Luhansk Oblast). During the Nazi German occupation from fall 1941 to fall 1943, Donetsk Oblast was known as Yuzivka Oblast (after
4128-454: The city on a bus, along with the bus driver and five accompanying Ukrainian soldiers. The journalists were being held at the occupied SBU building. Access to the city remained unrestricted despite the supposed Ukrainian army blockade, with separatist barricades manned by fewer people then on previous days. Local residents said that the separatist administration in Sloviansk provided no administrative services to citizens. Leaflets released by
4214-434: The city, Vyacheslav Ponomarev , declared in response that 'We will make Stalingrad out of this town'. The Ukrainian government then stated on 25 April that it would 'fully blockade the city of Sloviansk', and continue with the 'anti-terror' operation. Amid the increasing tensions, separatists in Sloviansk detained seven international monitors on an OSCE military verification mission in Ukraine, who had been travelling into
4300-439: The coal, finished steel, coke, cast iron and steel production in Ukraine. Ferrous metallurgy, fuel industry and power industry are in demand in the structure of industry production. There are about 882 industry enterprises that are on independent balance, and 2,095 small industry enterprises in the oblast. The oblast has a developed transport infrastructure which includes the Donetsk railway (covers 40% of national transportation),
4386-414: The counter-offensive in Donetsk would continue. A large skirmish erupted in Mariupol on 9 May, when government troops launched an attack on a police station in the city, resulting in the killing of at least twenty people. These were described by the Ukrainian government as "militants" and "terrorists", though some local residents said that they were unarmed protestors. The disputed referendum on
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#17327660372954472-403: The counter-offensive, government forces recaptured the building on 7 May, but then left it, allowing the separatists to quickly re-occupy it. Occupied buildings in Donetsk had been heavily fortified by 6 May, and Donetsk International Airport was closed to all traffic. The regional television broadcasting centre remained occupied by about thirty camouflaged insurgents with AK-47s . A BTR-70
4558-602: The country was going in the wrong direction, compared with only 36% in western Ukraine. A poll conducted by the Donetsk Institute of Social Research and Policy Analysis analysed the identities of Donetsk inhabitants. While support for separatism was low, just over a third of polled Donetsk inhabitants identified themselves as "citizens of Ukraine". More preferred "Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine" or "residents of Donbas ". The same poll determined that 66% of Donetsk residents that were polled supported remaining in
4644-562: The country, which culminated on 14 August 2013 with the Russian Custom Service halting goods coming from Ukraine. This prompted politicians and others to view the move as the start of a trade war against Ukraine to prevent Ukraine from signing a trade agreement with the European Union. When president Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign an association agreement with the European Union on 21 November 2013,
4730-496: The crowd and stormed the RSA building, with the police offering little resistance. They then occupied the building and raised the Russian flag over it while the people outside chanted "Russia, Russia". 100 people proceeded to barricade themselves in the building. The separatists declared that if an extraordinary session was not held by officials, announcing a referendum to join Russia, they would declare unilateral control by forming
4816-489: The early morning of 2 May resulted in the downing of two government helicopters, and casualties on both sides. As a result, Ukrainian forces gained control of all separatist checkpoints, and of half the city. President Oleksandr Turchynov said that many separatists were "killed, injured and arrested". In the early morning on the next day, the counter-offensive then targeted to Kramatorsk , and Andriivka in Donetsk Oblast [ uk ] . Serious fighting resulted in
4902-673: The election of their candidate was not recognised. However, no official moves were ever made. At the 2001 Ukrainian National Census , the ethnic groups within Donetsk Oblast were: Ukrainians – 2,744,100 (56.9%), Russians – 1,844,400 (38.2%), Pontic Greeks – 77,500 (1.6%), Belarusians – 44,500 (0.9%), others (2.3%). At the 2001 census, the languages spoken within the oblast were: Russian (spoken by 98.6% of Russians living there, 58.7% of Ukrainians, 58.7% of Greeks, and 85.5% of Belarusians) and Ukrainian (spoken by 41.2% of Ukrainians, 1.3% of Russians, 3.2% of Greeks, and 3.9% of Belarusians). Donetsk Oblast accounts for more than one half of
4988-499: The extremist Eurasian Youth Union Oleg Bakhtiyarov was arrested for, in part, recruiting rioters for US$ 500 each to assist in the storming of government buildings. On 13 April, the Internal Affairs Ministry stated that recruiters were found to be paying $ 500 to take part in the attacks, and roughly $ 40 to occupy buildings. Reports of paid protesters were supported by Party of Regions member Volodymyr Landik,
5074-513: The idea of federalization for the country; 69% of southerners and 53% of easterners supported Ukraine remaining as a unitary state; and only 2% of southerners and 4% of easterners supported separatism. 59% of those polled in eastern Ukraine would have liked to join the Russian-led customs union , while only 22% were in favour of joining the European Union. 37% of southerners preferred to join this customs union, while 29% were in favour of joining
5160-477: The legitimacy of the present government and parliament, but a majority in all regions agreed that deposed president Viktor Yanukovych was not the legal president of the country. In all regions but the Donbas, pro-Euromaidan oligarch Petro Poroshenko dominated preliminary election polls. A comprehensive poll released on 8 May by the Pew Research Centre surveyed opinions in Ukraine on the subject of
5246-401: The monitors believed that the city remained under heavy surveillance, both by people in uniforms and masks, but also by many persons in civilian clothing. One resident said that people in Sloviansk were afraid to discuss their opinions of the occupiers. On 24 April, Ukrainian forces made a series of 'probing attacks' into Sloviansk against the insurgents. The self-proclaimed separatist mayor of
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#17327660372955332-421: The most populous and most densely populated region of the country, except for the cities with special status ( Kyiv and Sevastopol ). Its large population is due to the presence of several big industrial cities and numerous villages agglomerated around them. During the 2004 presidential election , political supporters of Viktor Yanukovych threatened to demand autonomy for Donetsk and neighboring oblasts if
5418-458: The night of 16 April, about 300 pro-Russian protesters attacked a Ukrainian military unit in Mariupol , throwing petrol bombs . Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov said that troops were forced to open fire, resulting in the killing of three of the attackers. The Geneva Statement of 17 April did not result in the end of the government building occupations in Donetsk Oblast. Two pro-Russian groups in Mariupol said that they 'felt betrayed' by
5504-506: The northeast, the Rostov Oblast in Russia to the east, and the Sea of Azov to the south. Its extent from north to south is 270 km, from east to west – 190 km. The extreme points of the oblast's borders are: Bilosarayska Kosa ( spit ) in the south, Shevchenko of Volnovakha Raion in the west, Verkhnii Kut of Horlivka Raion in the east, and Lozove of Kramatorsk Raion in the north. The state historic-architectural site near
5590-528: The oblast is under Russian military occupation. Donetsk Oblast is located within the historic regions of Zaporizhzhia (western and central part), Sloboda Ukraine (northern part) and Pryazovia (southern part). In the mid-18th-century, the north-eastern outskirts formed part of Slavo-Serbia with its capital in Bakhmut . Before the establishment of Donetsk Oblast, three districts ( okruhas ) existed on its territory from 1923 to 1930. The Donets Governorate
5676-638: The oblast. The curative areas in the oblast include the Slovyansk salt lakes and mineral water sources. The oblast also contains many park zones, some of which are of great national value. They include the Khomutivsky steppe and the Azov sea coast. Overall, Donetsk Oblast contains about 70 protected park and nature attractions including branches of the Ukrainian steppe park, six state reserves, ten memorials of nature, landscapes, and six park tracts. During
5762-527: The occupied city hall, questioned, and then released after a letter sent by the mission's office in Kyiv confirmed the credentials of the monitors. A large pro-government rally in Donetsk city marched in protest against the violence in Donetsk Oblast, and the attempted assassination of Kharkiv mayor Hennadiy Kernes on 28 April. The rally was swiftly and violently broken up by separatists armed with baseball bats, iron rods, firecrackers and shields. A new counter-offensive by government forces on Sloviansk during
5848-602: The original name of Donetsk). During World War II , it was the site of several war crimes, including the German-perpetrated Artemivsk massacre and Soviet-perpetrated Massacre of Grischino . As part of de-Stalinization in the Soviet Union , in 1961 Stalino and Stalino Oblast were renamed Donetsk and Donetsk Oblast. During the dissolution of the Soviet Union , 83.9% of voters in Donetsk Oblast approved Ukraine's declaration of independence in
5934-520: The power to the regions, but most felt Russia and Ukraine should share open borders without visa restrictions; 8.4% were in favour of Ukraine and Russia uniting into a single state. 15.4% said they favoured secession of their region to join the Russian Federation, and 24.8% favoured Ukraine becoming a federation. Most of those polled said they found nothing attractive about Russia, but those who did, did so for economic, and not cultural reasons. Those polled in southern and eastern Ukraine were generally split on
6020-551: The powerful " Donetsk Clan ". In late 2004, the Party of Regions was involved in the creation of a political project, the South-East Ukrainian Autonomous Republic , which was intended to include Donetsk Oblast. Having close ties with the Russian government, the Party of Regions, along with local communists and other pro-Russian activists, instigated the pro-Russian unrest which escalated into
6106-449: The pro-Maidan assembly", and "could be observed treating the anti-Maidan protesters in a favourable manner". After this day of violence, interviewees told the OSCE that residents of Donetsk had decided not to organize more peaceful pro-Maidan demonstrations, "out of fear for their safety". On Sunday, 6 April, pro-Russian protesters held a rally in Donetsk pushing for a referendum on independence. A group of 1,000 protestors broke away from
6192-918: The pro-russian protests. The attendees of pro-Russian protests included Russian citizens from across the border who came to support the efforts of pro-Russian activists in Ukraine. Donetsk oblast governor Serhiy Taruta said that rallies in Donetsk included ex-convicts and others who travelled from Crimea . Ukraine's police and border guards denied entry to more than 8,200 Russians between 4 and 25 March 2014. On 27 March 2014, National Security and Defence Council Secretary Andriy Parubiy said that between 500 and 700 Russians were being denied entry daily. A poll conducted by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) from 8–18 February 2014 assessed support for union with Russia throughout Ukraine. It found that, overall, 12% of those polled favoured union with Russia. 68.0% said that Ukraine should remain independent and maintain friendly relations with Russia. Support for
6278-477: The recapture of the occupied buildings in Kramatorsk by government forces, and at least ten separatists were said to have been killed in Andriivka. All of the international military monitors who had been held in Sloviansk were released by Vyacheslav Ponomaryov on 3 May. On the same day, protesters in the city of Donetsk stormed and occupied the chairman of the regional government's private business office and
6364-417: The results. During the Euromaidan revolution there were widespread reports that pro-Yanukovych and pro-Russian ' anti-Maidan ' protesters were paid for their support. Oleksiy Haran, a political scientist at Kyiv Mohyla Academy in Kyiv stated that: "People at anti-Maidan stand for money only. The government uses these hirelings to provoke resistance. They won't be sacrificing anything". Russian leader of
6450-422: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Geneva Accord . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geneva_Accord&oldid=796810696 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
6536-589: The second phase from April 2014, armed Russian-backed groups seized government buildings across Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, together known as the Donbas , and launched a separatist insurgency in the region . To suppress this insurgency, the Ukrainian government began what it called an " Anti-Terrorist Operation " (ATO), sending in the armed forces to quell the unrest. Unrest in Kharkiv and Odesa oblasts did not escalate into full-scale armed conflict, although dozens of mostly pro-Russian protestors were killed . Order
6622-400: The separatist flag continued to fly over it. Rinat Akhmetov , oligarch and owner of Metinvest, called for non-violent protests against the separatists in Donbas on 19 May. In response to this call, cars gathered in front of the Donetsk RSA building and continually honked their horns. OSCE monitors said that some elderly people threw stones and water bottles at the cars as they passed by
6708-428: The session. According to the Ukrainian government, the seizure of RSA buildings by pro-Russian forces was part of "a script" which was "written in the Russian Federation" to destabilize Ukraine, carried out by "about 1,500 radicals in each region who spoke with clear Russian accents". On 6 April, the leaders of the separatist group Donetsk Republic announced that a referendum, on whether Donetsk Oblast should "join
6794-531: The side of the Ukrainian government. In the Ukrainian media , the derogatory term " Colorado beetle " was used for the pro-Russian demonstrators and militants, in reference to the Ribbon of St George they wore. Starting in the Russian media, the wave of unrest came to be referred to in Russia and Russian controlled parts of Ukraine as the "Russian Spring", a reference to both the Prague Spring of 1968 and
6880-434: The status of Donetsk Oblast was held on 11 May. According to representatives of the Donetsk People's Republic, 89% voted in favour of self-rule, and 10% voted against. Turnout was said to be 75%. OSCE monitors did not observe the referendum, as the situation in Donetsk after the skirmish in Mariupol was said to be "volatile", forcing them to restrict their operations in the region. After the results were announced, leader of
6966-469: The unrest. The poll was taken after the annexation of Crimea , but prior to the clashes in Odesa on 2 May . 93% of westerners and 70% of easterners polled said that they wanted Ukraine to remain united. Despite international criticism of the 16 March referendum on Crimean status , 91% of the Crimeans polled thought that the vote was free and fair, and 88% said that the Ukrainian government should accept
7052-525: The world have not recognized the annexations. As of April 2024, Russia controls about 60% of the oblast. Donetsk Oblast is located in southeastern Ukraine. The area of the oblast (26,517 km ) comprises about 4.4% of the total area of the country. The oblast borders the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts to the southwest, the Kharkiv Oblast to the north, the Luhansk Oblast to
7138-467: Was parked outside building, along with barricades made of sandbags and tyres. A similar presence was observed at the RSA building. On 7 May, Russian president Vladimir Putin asked the separatists to delay the planned 11 May referendum on the status of Donetsk . Denis Pushilin , the leader of the Donetsk People's Republic , refused. In response, Ukrainian transitional prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk referred to Putin's words "hot air", and vowed that
7224-439: Was restored in these regions with the cooperation of the local civil authorities, though pro-Russian disturbances, such as bombings, continued throughout the year. After the 2004 Orange Revolution , Russia launched a decade-long effort to restore its political influence in Ukraine by playing on existing domestic fault lines and undermining the central government. Despite a crackdown on political opponents in 2011–12 (including
7310-805: Was supported by the Russian military and intelligence services, belongs to the early stages of the Russo-Ukrainian War . During its first phase in February–March 2014, the Ukrainian territory of Crimea was invaded and subsequently annexed by Russia following an internationally unrecognized referendum , with the United Nations General Assembly voting in favor of Ukraine's territorial integrity. Concurrently, protests by anti-Maidan and pro-Russian groups took place across other parts of eastern and southern Ukraine. Local separatists, some directed and financed by
7396-570: Was terminated in 1925. As part of Soviet Ukraine , Donetsk Oblast was established on 2 July 1932 out of the Kharkiv Oblast , the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast , and a number of raions that were under the direct administration of Kharkiv (then-capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ). Artemivsk (today Bakhmut ) served as the oblast's administrative center for two weeks until 16 July 1932, when
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